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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ark, Arke, n.¹ Also: arcke, arct, airk. [ME. arke, ark, arc, ONhb. ark-, ærc-, WS. earc.]

1. A chest, esp. a large one for holding grain or meal. (Freq. in inventories of the 16th c. See also Ele-ark.) 14.. Acts I. 306/2.
Of a kyst or of ane ark with lok, twa peniis a1500 Henr. Fab. 175.
The cheis in ark, and meill in kist 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 26.
Twa met burdis, ij kists, … ane ark 1542 Acts & Decr. I. 141.
Ane ark full of mele contenand xl bollis a1568 Bann. MS. 137 b/27.
Ane ark, ane almry, and ladillis two 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 55.
Betuix ane meikle ark and ane grit kist a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xcv. 44.
Ihone of the park rypis kist and ark 1587 Edinb. Test. XVIII. b.
Ane airk, … ane kist, … and tua pottis 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 40.
A sacket of corne out of the ark 1689 Ib. 114.
A help and staple to ane arkfig. 1490 Irland Mir. MS. 246 b.
As the flesch and body of Adam was the rute, fontane, ark and kest, of all oure corrupcioun

b. Ark-kist, in the same sense. 1623–4 M. Works Acc. XVII. 3 b.
Taking sindrie of ane mekill ark kist and putting of it togidder agane

2. The ark of Noah, or of the covenant.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. viii. heading (the Arke and the spate of Noe). c1450-2 Howlat 813 (thow ischit out of Noyes ark). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1312, 1367 (the qualitie of Noyis arke).(2) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 304 (quhare the ark of God [was] takin in the batale). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 41/1 (the arcke, tabernakle and prestis).